India Name 14-Member Track Cycling Squad for 2026 Asian Games After Challenging Hangzhou Campaign

India has named a 14-member track cycling contingent for the 2026 Asian Games, with the squad set to compete across sprint, keirin, pursuit, omnium and Madison events as the country looks to improve on its challenging campaign at Hangzhou 2022.

The contingent features nine men and five women, with several riders entered across multiple disciplines. The selection reflects India's attempt to build greater depth and versatility across individual, team and endurance events as the cyclists prepare to compete against Asia's strongest track programmes.

India did not win a medal in track cycling at the previous Asian Games. While several riders progressed through the early rounds, the Indian contingent fell short of reaching the medal races, highlighting the significant gap that remains between India and the continent's leading cycling nations.

That challenge was evident in the Hangzhou medal table.

Japan dominated the track cycling competition with 11 gold medals and 14 medals overall. China finished second with four gold medals and a total of 16 medals, demonstrating remarkable depth across the programme. Kazakhstan, Hong Kong, China, Indonesia and Uzbekistan also featured prominently among the medal-winning nations.

For India, Aichi-Nagoya 2026 presents an opportunity to turn competitive performances into deeper runs.

The previous Asian Games provided India with valuable experience, particularly in the men's sprint disciplines. David Beckham Elkatohchoongo was among India's busiest riders in Hangzhou, competing in both individual and team events. In the men's sprint, he progressed into the later stages of the competition and eventually finished eighth overall.

His campaign included a victory in the Round of 32 before he was eliminated from medal contention in the knockout rounds. While India did not reach the podium, the performance demonstrated that an Indian rider could progress beyond the opening phase and compete in the higher-pressure rounds of an Asian Games event.

David returns for the 2026 edition and will once again carry significant responsibility.

He will feature in both the individual sprint and team sprint disciplines, where his experience from Hangzhou could prove valuable.

Ronaldo Singh Laitonjam will also return to the men's sprint programme. He, along with David Beckham Elkatohchoongo, will provide India with two experienced options in the individual sprint while also forming part of the wider team sprint pool.

At Hangzhou 2022, India fielded Ronaldo, David and Rojit Singh Yanglem in the men's team sprint. The Indian team finished seventh in qualification before exiting the competition.

The trio's experience will now be strengthened by the inclusion of Jemsh Singh Keithellakpam, giving India additional options for the three-rider team event in Aichi-Nagoya. The ability to select from four riders could prove important, particularly with form, fitness and tactical combinations influencing team sprint performance.

India's 2026 selection also shows an increased emphasis on riders covering multiple disciplines.

Harshveer Singh Sekhon has entered in three events: the men's keirin, omnium and Madison. The programme presents a unique challenge because the events require different physical and tactical demands.

The keirin is built around explosive speed and positioning, while the omnium tests a rider's versatility across multiple race formats. The Madison, meanwhile, is a demanding endurance event requiring constant coordination between two riders.

Harshveer will partner Vishavjeet Singh in the men's Madison, giving India a dedicated pairing for one of track cycling's most complex events.

India's men's keirin campaign in Hangzhou had featured Esow Alban and David Beckham Elkatohchoongo, but both fell short of the final medal rounds. Harshveer's inclusion offers India another option as the team looks to improve its results in the event.

The women's squad combines sprint and endurance options.

India's women's contingent will compete across team sprint, keirin, sprint, team pursuit, omnium and Madison. Celestina has been selected for the women's keirin and team sprint, while Keerthi Rangaswamy Chikka will also compete in both events. Sarita Kumari and Triyasha Paul are part of the women's team sprint pool, with both riders also entered in the individual women's sprint.

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The women's team sprint group therefore gives India four riders across the wider programme, allowing selectors flexibility in choosing the strongest combination for the event. India's endurance programme will feature Meenakshi, Pooja Baban Danole, Harshita Jakhar and Swasti Singh in the women's team pursuit.

Harshita and Swasti will also combine for the women's Madison, while Harshita has an additional role in the women's omnium. The selection of riders across multiple events is significant. Track cycling requires different specialists, but a compact Asian Games contingent also demands athletes who can perform across more than one discipline.

India's biggest challenge remains translating qualification performances into results in the final rounds. The sprint and keirin events demand explosive power, tactical awareness and the ability to execute under intense pressure. The team sprint adds another layer, with timing, coordination and consistency critical over a short distance.

The endurance events bring a different challenge.

Team pursuit requires disciplined pacing and close coordination, while the omnium tests riders across multiple race formats. The Madison is particularly demanding, combining endurance with rapid exchanges and tactical decision-making between partners. The scale of the task is clear. Japan will once again be among the strongest teams in track cycling, while China, Kazakhstan and other established Asian nations possess considerable depth across the programme.

But India enter Aichi-Nagoya with a broader 14-member contingent and riders covering a wider range of disciplines.

David Beckham Elkatohchoongo and Ronaldo Singh Laitonjam will again be central to India's sprint hopes. Harshveer Singh Sekhon has the opportunity to make an impact across three events, while the women's squad offers India combinations in both sprint and endurance disciplines.

The immediate objective will be to progress deeper than in Hangzhou.

India may have left the 2022 Asian Games without a track cycling medal, but the 2026 squad provides another opportunity to close the gap. Reaching the later rounds more consistently will be the first target. From there, the focus will be on challenging the continent's best when the pressure is at its highest.

For India's track cyclists, Aichi-Nagoya 2026 is an opportunity to turn experience into progress.

India’s 14-member track cycling squad for the 2026 Asian Games: Vishavjeet Singh, David Beckham Elkatohchoongo, Jemsh Singh Keithellakpam, Ronaldo Singh Laitonjam, Harshveer Singh Sekhon, Rojit Singh Yanglem, Celestina, Meenakshi, Keerthi Rangaswamy Chikka, Pooja Baban Danole, Harshita Jakhar, Sarita Kumari, Triyasha Paul and Swasti Singh.